Game apparatus comprising a toy electric railway and chance means for controlling the same



B. H. GOLDBECK 3,292,925 GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY AND CHANCE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 l 6 w w y L. m L w m n D F INVENTOR.

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GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY AND CHANCE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME Filed Aug. 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,292,926 GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A TOY ELEC- TRIC RAILWAY AND CHANCE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME Bernard H. Goldbeck, West Haven, Conn, assignor to The A. C. Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn., a

corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 305,417 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-138) This invention relates to toys or games, and more particularly to indoor games involving toy electric railways.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved toy electric railway game wherein there is combined in a novel relationship a toy railroad and a game of chance to produce a unique competitive game device having a high level of interest, particularly for youngsters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel toy electric railway game as above, wherein the element of chance is essentially predominant so that even a relatively unskilled player may at some time or other attain the highest score and be the winner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toy railway game device in accordance with the foregoing, wherein a pin-ball type game of chance and a toy electric railway are combined in a novel manner to produce an amusement and educational device having the inherent interest, features and appeal of both.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination game device as above outlined, which is simple to operate and understand whereby even players of tender years may participate.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a combination toy railway and game of chance which also tends to be instructive as well as interesting and amusing, thereby to promote the process of learning and the acquisition of knowledge.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toy and game device as characterized, which is of interest to both boys and girls, and which is not restricted to any particular age group but instead may be played even by older children or adults.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved combination toy railway and game of chance as set forth, which enables the players to engage in a number of different games and procedures, both simple and complicated.

Other features of the invention reside in the provision of a combined electric railway and game of chance toy as outlined, which has especial value in promoting the sale of toy electric trains, which is relatively simple, economical to manufacture, which may be easily and quickly set up, and which does not require an expenditure appreciably greater than that of a toy railway set alone.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the combination toy railroad and game of chance as provided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view illustrating a section of the railroad track and associated indicia cards attached thereto.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, with portions broken away, of the game of chance of the game.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of an upper corner portion of the playing board of the game of chance.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of several piles of chips or playing pieces, used in connection with playing some of the different possible games utilizing the combination device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical system of the game.

FIG. 8 shows the rear platform of a caboose car carrying the manikin of a flagm-an holding an indicator flag.

FIG. 9 is another schematic circuit diagram of the elecical system of the game, illustrating a modification of the invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the improved game (or toy) provided thereby comprises a new combination of an electric railway and a game of chance which are inter-related in a novel manner to enable a number of different, interesting games to be engaged in by both boys and girls of various age groups as well as by adults. The combination thus provided not only retains the inherent interest of a toy railroad and also that of a game of chance (herein illustrated as a pin-ball game) but it additionally extends the possibilities of amusement and instruction of these beyond the limits of each component when used separately.

The constructional details of the game or toy will be explained first, and thereafter several examples will be given of games or procedure wherein the construction may be advantageously employed.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a toy electric railway comprising a continuous track system 10, shown in the form of a single loop having roughly an oval shape. A toy locomotive 12 together with a tender 14, coal or gravel car 16 and caboose 18 are shown on the track system 10 in operative position.

Power for operating the engine and cars is supplied from a conventional transformer 20 having power supply leads 22 and 24, the latter being connected to the terminal fitting 26 of the track system.

The game of chance is advantageously constituted as a pin-ball game, comprising a game board 28 which is preferably supported, as by a peripheral framework 30, to occupy a sloping position. Starting and finish locations 32 and 34 respectively are provided on the game board 28, the said board being adapted for traversal by playing pieces from the starting to the finish location. Four movable playing pieces in the form of small balls or marbles 36 are shown as being carried by the game board 28.-at the starting location 32.

On the game board 28 various obstacles are provided, constituting means which provide different paths of travel and different travel times for the playing pieces or balls 36, as the latter move one at a time :from the starting position 32 to the finish position or location 34. Such obstacles are shown as having various forms. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, certain of the obstacles comprise separate fiat die-cut pieces 38 having the configuration of a locomotive, said pieces being insertable in suitable slits 40 which are provided at various locations on the game board 28. The slits 40 also determine the direction in which the locomotive-shaped obstacle pieces 38 are pointed, 'as will be readily apparent.

Additional obstacle pieces in the form of locomotive markers 38 may be carried by the game board 28 at an upper corner, where additional slits 41 are provided. Also, playing pieces in the form of round colored disks 43 may be provided, for use in connection with some of the games which it is possible to play. The disks 43 may have various colors, as is also the case with the additional locomotive markers, whereby each player may be given a locomotive marker of one color and a number of the playing disks 43 of the same color.

Other obstacles comprise elongate die-cut hinged portions 42 of the game board itself, which portions are folded upward to constitute upwardly protruding obstructions.

With the above organization a playing piece or marble 36 may be started at the starting position 32 and follow any one of a large number of irregular paths, one of which is indicated by the broken line 44 in FIG. 3, before it finally reaches the finishposition or location 34. Two angularly disposed guide members 46 are provided on the playing or game board 28 to finally guide the playing pieces or balls 36 to -a specific finish location, at which the game board 28 has a receptacle 48 adapted to receive the piece. The receptacle 48 is shown as being a simple opening or hole in the game board, although it will be understood that other formations are possible. In accordance with the present invention an electrical control means is provided, to be actuated by a playing piece as the latter reaches the finish location and is deposited in the receptacle 48, thereby to halt the railroad train which is normally travelling along the track system during the traversal of the game board by the playing piece. It will be understood that such halting of the train is thereby essentially subject to chance as regards the particular halted position. This is because the exact time required for the playing piece to negotiate all the obstacles and to reach the finish location after it has been started, is substantially indeterminate, depending on various factors of chance. For example, the extent of slop of the game board 28, the number, location and particular positions of the obstacles, and the exact point of start of the playing piece all enter as factors.

In consequence, it is not possible for a player to determine beforehand the exact location at which the train can be brought to a halt by virtue of the arrival of the playing piece 36 in the receptacle 48. Accordingly, the provision of the pin-ball game in the device injects the important elementof chance with respect to the various locations at which the train can be brought to a halt.

The electrical action :by which the halting of the train may be effected can have various forms. One simple electrical means tor halting the train is shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 7, by way of example. Carried by the game board 28 at the finish location 34 thereof is a means for dropping the operating current of the train, comprising a blade-type electrical switch having a flexible switch arm 52 with an actuator portion 54 disposed below the hole or else the numeral 30 and so on. The numeral at which the train stopped would be the score in points for that particular effort or travel of the playing piece. A player having five turns would thus 'add up the five numbers obtained from each turn, to secure his final total score, and the person with the highest score would be the winner.

Various combinations of the upwardly fiolded obstacles 42 and the engine-shaped obstacles 38 could be devised to defeat efforts on the part of a player or predetermine the stopping place of the train and consequently to rig the procedure in order to obtain a higher score.

For the purpose of simplifying the act of designating the indicia corresponding to the stopping place of the train, the invention provides in FIGURE 8 a flagman 61, which is carried at the rear of the caboose car 18, said figure including an outwardly directed flag 64 which may be considered as pointing at the particular indicia which is to be used in making the scores. Such indicator means is easily observed, and eliminates the possibility of error or confusion on the part of the players.

The game board 28 may have various designs and figures. For example, it may contain an outline 66 of the 7 map of the United States, and may further contain circles shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The said cards may be secured to the track section 10 by small metal clips 74 adapted to clamp individual ties 76 of the tracks. FIG. 1, the game board 28 may be advantageously located within the loop formed by the track system 10 and the cards 71, 72 carrying the indicia.

, rent which is supplied to the train comprises an electrical 48 in the board. The flexible switch :arm 52 is secured to the board 28 in any suitable manner, as for example by a rivet 56. Cooperable with the arm 52 is a stationary contact 58, also in the form of a rivet. The switch elements 52 and 58, comprising a normally closed switch, are connected one to the power supply lead 22 from the transformer 20 and the other to a connecting lead 60 which is joined to the remaining terminal of the terminal fitting 26 of the track system.

With such organization, a complete circuit will normally be provided from the transformer 20 to the track system when there is no playing piece 36 in the receptacle 48, by virtue of the switch blade 52 remaining continually :in engagement with the stationary contact 58. However, when as illustrated in FIG. 4 a playing piece 36 becomes deposited in the receptacle or hole 48, the weight of the piece will depress thelever 52, separating it from the stationary contact 58 and thereby opening the circuit. This, of course, will result in the train halting on the track after a short travel due to its momentum.

The place at which the train comes to a halt is thus seen to be almost purely a matter of chance. This circumstance is utilized, in accordance with the invention, to enable a number of interesting games to be played. Indicating means are provided along the track 10, comprising numbers 62 and also other indicia as for example the names 63 of various railroads, etc. One simple game would involve merely having the players taking turns one after another in starting the playing pieces 36 at the starting location, and marking down scores as determined by the stopping places of the train when the playing pieces are finally lodged in the receptacle 48. Considering FIG. 1, the train could stop at any of a number of places designated by the numeral .10, or the numeral 20,

' the secondary or output.

switch and an electrical load, the latter being switched across the supply lines to the track, thereby to starve;

the locomotive or engine and reduce the energy supplied thereto to such an extent that the train will not continue to run. In FIG. 9, the track system 78 is connected by supply leads 80 and 82 with a suitable transformer 84. A normally open-circuited switch 86 is provided for dis-.

position under the receptacle 48 of the game board 28.

The switch 86 comprises a flexible contact blade 88 and a fixed contact 90, the blade 88 being connected by a wire 92 with the supply line 82 whereas the contact is connected to a lamp load 94 of the type adapted to will effect a closing of the switch 86, thereby to energize the lamp load 94, causing the lamp to be illuminated. At

the same time, the appreciable load imposed by the. lamp 94 will reduce the voltage which is being applied to the track system 78, thereby to deprive the engine of the full current required to operate the same. In consequence, the engine will come to a halt.

In order to prevent overloading of the transformer 84, i

an additional lamp 98 may be inserted in series with together with the transformer output voltage it will glow dimly and pass sufiicient current to enable the train to be normally operated when the game board switch However, upon the switch 86 being closed 86 is open. by a playing piece, the extra load imposed by the lamp 94 will now cause the series lamp 98 to glow brightly,

and the increased voltage across the series lamp and As seen in Such lamp is so chosen that,

played as follows: Each of the players one after the other lets one ball roll down the game board or map. The player who is to be first is selected in this manner, by running the train each time and letting each ball complete its path of travel until it stops the train. The train will stop at 10, 20, 30, etc. as designated by the Flagman pointing to the number on the Line Sections, and the highest number becomes CASEY JONES the Engineer and takes the first play.

Each player selects one Locomotive Marker and ten round colored Discs of the same color as his Locomotive Marker. These Discs are placed on the LINE SECTION NUMBERS indicated by the pointing Flagrnan when scoring at each turn as the train stops. Thus, a player may possibly place Discs at random all around the track, never landing twice on the same space. If, however, he lands on a space already containingone or more of his own colored Discs, he scores by placing 21 Disc as usual but takes another turn immediately. This action will create real excitement. WATCH OUT FOR CASEY JONES! The first player to use up all of his Discs becomes the NEW CASEY JONES, and the race starts again. Count your Discs carefully as each Disc counts points, 20, 30, 40 or 50, etc. PLUS DOUBLE COUNT FOR THE SECOND DISC on the same Line Section Card and number, TRIPLE COUNT FOR THE THIRD, and so on. (Five Discs, all of the same color, on the (Alternate scoring method of face value may be used for younger Casey Jones players if desired.)

HIGH SCORE WINS THE RACE It will now be understood that I have provided a unique and improved combination toy electric railway and game of chance comprising a pin-ball game, which combines the inherent interest of each and by virtue of the cooperable relationship established, enables a number of diflferent entertaining and instructive game procedurecs to be engaged in. The combination toy is simple in construction, foolproof in operation, easily understood by both young and old players, and may be economically produced and manufactured. It tends to be helpful in promoting the sale of electric trains sets, and evokes interest from girl players as well as boy players. Because the element of chance is predominant in operation, even an unskilled player will have as good a chance as a skilled player in obtaining a winning score.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

'1. A game apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a toy electric railway, including (1) a track (2) an engine (3) a power supply lead connected to the track, (b) a game of chance, including (l) a movable playing piece comprising a small ball,

(2) a game board of cardboard adapted to be traversed by said playing piece firom a starting location to a finish location,

(3) means on said game board providing by chance different paths of travel comprising obstacles at least some of which are formed by die-cut portions of the board having hinge connections whereby they may be folded to upwardprotruding positions disposed on said board for deflecting the ball in its tnavel from said starting to said finish location thereby to cause different travel times for the playing piece in moving from the starting to the finish location, and

(c) circuit-control means connected to said powersupply lead and responsive to the playing piece reach ing the finish location for dropping the operating current supplied to the track to halt the engine.

2. A game apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) others of said obstacles are separate pieces, and

(b) the game board has slits into which the separate obstacle pieces may be set, to enable the latter to be variously positioned.

3. A game apparatus as in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the obstacles comprise pieces shaped to simulate a locomotive.

4. A game apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a toy electric railway, including (1) a track (2) an engine (3) a power supply lead connected to the track,

(b) a game of chance, including l) a movable playing piece,

(2) a game board adapted to be traversed by said playing piece from a starting location to a finish location,

(3) means on said game board providing by chance diflerent paths of travel and different travel times for the playing piece in moving from the starting to the finish location, and

(c) circuit-control means connected to said power supply lead and responsive to the playing piece reaching the finish location for dropping the operating current supplied to the track to halt the engine,

(d) means providing indicia at spaced locations along the21 track, said indicia having a game significance, an

(e) an indicator device connected to the engine and movable therewith along the track, said device being cooperable with the indicia to provide different indications when the engine is brought to a halt at different locations along the track,

(f) said indicator device comprising a caboose car, a flagman thereon and a flag held by the fiagman and pointing outward.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

E. R. ZACK, M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY, INCLUDING (1) A TRACK (2) AN ENGINE (3) A POWER SUPPLY LEAD CONNECTED TO THE TRACK, (B) A GAME OF CHANCE, INCLUDING (1) A MOVABLE PLAYING PIECE COMPRISING A SMALL BALL, (2) A GAME BOARD OF CARDBOARD ADAPTED TO BE TRANSVERSED BY SAID PLAYING PIECE FROM A STARTING LOCATION TOI A FINISH LOCATION, (3) MEANS ON SAID GAME BOARD PROVIDING BY CHANCE DIFFERENT PATHS OF TRAVEL COMPRISING OBSTACLES AT LEAST SOME OF WHICH ARE FORMED BY DIE-CUT PORTIONS OF THE BOARD HAVING HINGE CONNECTIONS WHEREBY THEY BE FOLDED TO UPWARDPROTRUDING POSITIONS DISPOSED ON SAID BOARD FOR DEFLECTING THE BALL IN ITS TRAVEL FROM SAID STARTING TO SAID FINISH LOCATION THEREBY TO CAUSE DIFFERENT TRAVEL TIMES FOR THE PLAYING PIECE IN MOVING FROM THE STARTING TO THE FINISH LOCATION, AND (C) CIRCUIT-CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID POWER SUPPLY LEAD AND RESPONSIVE TO THE PLAYING PIECE OF REACHING THE FINISH LOCATION FOR DROPPING THE OPERATING CURRENT SUPPLIED TO THE TRACK TO HALT THE ENGINE. 